Ilica marathon – a slightly different kind of race

Did you know that beside Zagreb marathon and others classic races in Zagreb there is one slightly different kind of race called Ilica marathon? And no one has ever finished it! Zagreb urban legend race with the biggest respect among the tough guys who can drink a lot is Ilica marathon – a competition for man and women with insatiable thirst.

The rules are simple: race starts at the last street number in Ilica street (Ilica 530, Vrapče) towards finish at Ilica 1 (Trg bana Josipa Jelačića). Along the way in every bar on the right side of the street you must drink 0,03l of liquor of your choice (min. 30% alcohol) and in every bar on the left side you must drink a 0,3l beer of your choice. Duration is limited to 24 hours, rules allow unlimited consumption of any food and vomiting (spontaneous, not deliberately caused by finger), but little naps along the way are forbidden.

Allegedly, the first Ilica marathon took place in 1989., but the next race official was organized by a large group of people in 2007. and 2014. Before, between and after those years, small teams of enthusiasts were engaging in “Zagreb style pub crawl”, and the legend says that no one has ever finished the marathon. Number of bars along the route of the Ilica marathon has changed over the years, currently there are about 50 bars on the left and 50 on the right side (and that’s why you can’t reach the finish line!).

According to the story, the record of the race is at the British square (Ilica around number 70), and it still resist the attacks of new competitors. But only until Mladen Grdović (Croatain hard drinking singer) shows up at the start…